After more than a year without an appointed victims’ commissioner, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk has announced that someone will be appointed “shortly.” The position was left vacant following Dame Vera Baird’s resignation in September 2022, amidst accusations that victims’ needs were being overlooked. Campaign groups have criticised the government’s delay in filling the position, which was created in 2010 to ensure that the needs of victims were being upheld in the justice system.
In an open letter to the justice secretary, a coalition of groups emphasised the importance of having an independent advocate to speak for victims. Mr Chalk said that he is actively considering the position and will need to carefully consider who is right for the job. Nevertheless, he maintained that the government was “positive and motivated” about supporting victims and cited several measures passed into law, including the domestic abuse act, the outlawing of revenge porn and upskirting, and the removal of the ‘rough sex gone wrong’ defence, as examples of the government’s efforts to support victims.
Dame Vera accused the government of downgrading victims’ needs and leaving the justice system in “chaos” in an open resignation letter. She was not automatically offered a second term, but was found to be appointable by the appointments process. Despite this, she was only asked to extend her term until December 2022. Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, called the delay in finding her successor “shocking.”
Katie Kempen, the chief executive of Victim Support, has said that the charity is pleased to hear that a new commissioner will be appointed and has urged Mr Chalk to do so without delay. She called the void left by the position’s vacancy “starker” than ever. The Ministry of Justice and Dame Vera have declined to comment further on the new appointment, but campaign groups continue to emphasise the importance of having a commissioner to represent victims within the justice system
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More